December 11, 2009

"After much soul-searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf."

"I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father and person."

86 comments:

Unknown said...

Woods is finally doing something marginally intelligent - laying low and giving himself some time to rebuild his image, however, if he thinks he can do that in anything less than a couple of years, he's kidding himself.

PS Notice the last sentence in the caption of the photo mentioning his "alleged" affairs? Even Woods' statement acknowledges they're true, but some PC copywriter uses "alleged" instinctively.

Ryan said...

The golfing lifestyle - with all the money and globetrotting - is too much for him right now.

reader_iam said...

Holy crap. I just won an offline bet.

Anonymous said...

Hooker "silence" prices are going through the roof.

It's a good time to step away from the market for a bit until prices come back down.

This is an astute financial move on Tiger's part.

Plus, all this negative publicity isn't good for the NBA hooker market. He's ruining a good thing for millionaires everywhere.

HT said...

Who didn't see this one coming? Lots of sports shows are going on and on about how these sex episodes won't affect his game. Before today.

What these sports broadcaster men (face it) don't realize is the impact and the emotional hit this leaves on a family. If the man doesn't care, then those around him will let him know well of their disappointment and the acting out and just, the .... huge mess this leaves. Sorry you can't just walk away from that.

The lesson just might be: don't let anyone find out, and how many times have we agreed with that? Silently or otherwise.

Marriages can be like hand grenades.

Be careful.

Freeman Hunt said...

The Elin and Tiger conflict is animated.

WV: mylies (no joke!)

"After much soul-searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf due to mylies."

Ron said...

I, too, will quit golf to make other non-related parts of my life go better.

Who says he's not a role model?

Anonymous said...

"Marriages can be like hand grenades."

Not to mention the fact that, let's face it Tiger Woods is supposed to be a role model for black children who typically have been kept out of the nation's country clubs and exclusive golf courses because of stereotypes about black people that Tiger Woods is only reinforcing with this slutty behavior.

The "ho" market should be left to the rappers and the NBA. It simply has no business at Augusta National Golf Course.

Tiger is acting like he's no better than Fitty Cent - and in the process conforming to the worst stereotypes about misogynist black men that there are.

And talk about racists? How come there's no black girls amongst all the hooker's he's porking on the side? What's wrong with the sistas Tiger?

I mean come on, you can't make some of this shit up.

HT said...

Hey Fla! Hey Fla! (ok, sorry, couldn't resist - rammer jammer)

Sorry but your post does not make sense. I 'm not sure if he was supposed to be a role model, and you're bringin up the whole no black girls thing again, is so...three days ago.

(we just beat the...i'll stop!)

amba said...

Florida:

Yeah, like Eliot Spitzer is such a nigga.

David said...

@Ron

Funny!

BD said...

"Which starts with this .... which one of you is my wife?"

vbspurs said...

Let it be known to the bad faith bloggers of this world that love to uncover dirt about Althouse the blog that we have a leftist MOBY on this blog who used a racist epithet. Don't tar and feather the rest of us, due to his trolldom.

vbspurs said...

You know, I was starting to like Tiger again due to having shown that he's fallible outside the golf course. What happened after Thanksgiving Day was between he and his wife, and I thought the whole matter had been seriously blown out of proportion by media (as ever).

But you know...his marriage is officially a trainwreck. He's a manwhore with mistresses, girlfriends and pros coming out of his ears. He's only fit to flog Purina, not AmEx.

So take your lumps, Tiger. You deserve all the public grief you're getting. Since you don't think of your wife or kids, no one else will either.

Cheers,
Victoria

vbspurs said...

wv: pigast! Exactly.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

What's the difference between Tiger Woods and Santa?

Santa stops after 3 "Ho"s

HT said...

Santa would have stopped at three ho's.

reader_iam said...

Victoria: Just to clarify, you're referring to Florida, right?

I'm Full of Soup said...

The funny thing is, like any husband, Tiger panicked after he was caught and sweetened the pre-nup by $35 Million or so it was reported.

But that marriage is still doomed no matter what Tiger does or wants.

vbspurs said...

RIA, you know who it is.

Ricardo said...

This morning, he and his handlers watched Jenny Sanford file for divorce, and noticed how much the media applauded that action. And the media then went on to speculate that Elin was next. If Tiger hadn't gotten religion before, he sure should have gotten it this morning. But as others have said, it is a long road back, and Tiger (seriously) needs to be in rehab, and not just in marriage counseling. This is a case where they need "individual" counseling, before any kind of couple counseling would be profitable.

Ricardo said...

My bet is still that Elin will eventually walk. She's been publicly humiliated, and I'm not sure there's enough therapy in the world to get rid of that hurt.

vbspurs said...

But that marriage is still doomed no matter what Tiger does or wants.

AJ, the rumour is that Elin has already bought a 2 million dollar home in Sweden -- I presume she's staying due to the "incentive" clause in her pre-nup of getting more money if she hangs on past a certain date. Interestingly, that didn't work out too well for Nicole Kidman, who was dumped by Tom Cruise moments before their 10-year anniversary. She would've gotten more $$ had she made it.

Cheers,
Victoria

HT said...

ok, if we're gonna gossip, I'll bite. I don't see how anything gets salvaged here. Tiger emotionally appears from the outside to be about 12 years old. It's all a sham now. It has to be right? Well, who knows. We're just gossiping.

vbspurs said...

This is a case where they need "individual" counseling, before any kind of couple counseling would be profitable.

I had a friend who predicted that President Clinton would say he's sorry one day, after being caught in another compromising situation with a woman. He'd claim he was addicted to sex, and check himself into rehab.

You know, like David Duchovny.

HT said...

God I hope Clinton never did that.

I hope we don't start medicalizing infidelity.

Secret Life of Tiger Woods is now on Dateline.

reader_iam said...

Back to why I came back:

I'm thinking there's an object lesson here, somewhere:

In these media- and internet-saturated times, especially if you're an incredibly well remunerated (in no small part by doing commercial endorsements), world-renowned athlete, you can be both that and maintain the squeaky-clean image of a guy which underpins your endorsements, OR you can take advantage of the easy sexual perks that come with being a famous athlete. You can't have all three. It used to be that people could have all three. But times change

vbspurs said...

I'm actually bored enough to watch that right now, HT! I just came in from a lobster tail and steak dinner at Ruth's Chris, and thus satiated, feel the need chillax in front of the boob tube. Thanks for the heads up. ;)

vbspurs said...

It's on. Early Tiger, when he was just a strippling with a Secretariat-like talent.

They just mentioned Earl Woods. Now I wonder if he too cheated on his wife.

reader_iam said...

Victoria: The answer makes it ambiguous, but OK, I'll let it drop, for now anyway.

HT said...

Status: reconciled to the inevitable -- infidelity will be medicalized.

Look for an ad soon (during golf tourny of course) on pill to take, prescribed by your doc.

vbspurs said...

infidelity will be medicalized.

GASP. I can actually see that happening. Male infidelity is the ONLY thing that hasn't been feminised in our society. It's the last bastion of macho behaviour.

HT said...

Great! Barkley was in Vegas, hanging out.

WHEW! That means he won't be governor any time soon.

vbspurs said...

Since I mentioned Mad Men in the other thread (I am now up to date, having watched all 3 seasons), I am suddenly very fascinated with male infidelity.

There is a behaviour parallel to be made between the roguish, despicable but utterly dashing Don Draper and Tiger Woods.

vbspurs said...

I wondered if that was a wig. I haven't seen a helmet head like that since Governor Blago stepped down.

HT said...

Tiger's dashing? Really?

vbspurs said...

Well, no. But then our generation doesn't really do dashing.

vbspurs said...

wv: balshine! That's what the call girls do to Tiger.

HT said...

But it didn't begin Thanksgiving night. Right? Wasn't it already coming out before?

rcocean said...

Always good to do your "soul-searching" 5 months before the Masters.

Tiger needs to take a break in any case. All the Great ones did. Jones quit fairly early, Nicklaus took time off in the early 70s, Watson cut back in the mid 80s, Hogan was forced to slack off due to the car accident.

The man is already a zilionaire and he's practically guaranteed to break Jack's record of 18 majors.

vbspurs said...

Wasn't it already coming out before?

Yes, spurred by the National Enquirer story that broke 3 days before that.

I'll say this for the NE. They've been more right than wrong about these cases throughout the years. Frank Gifford. The Breck Girl. Tiger.

Unknown said...

vbspurs said...

What happened after Thanksgiving Day was between he and his wife

Have to disagree - and you and I are often on the same page. This guy was, in fact, supposed to be a role model and, for that reason, people who are trying to turn around lives seriously in danger of going down the drain now have a harder job. Also, given all the products associated with him, their parent companies now have to reassess what to do. Wanna bet there aren't at least a couple of layoffs because of the discontinuation of Tiger Gatorade (or whatever it is)?

Then, of course, there are his kids. Think Chelsea became a boozer just because she went to school in England?

vbspurs said...

Wanna bet there aren't at least a couple of layoffs because of the discontinuation of Tiger Gatorade (or whatever it is)?

That is true. But I really don't think that Gatorade would've dropped the Tiger ads with ONE infidelity. That happened after the 5th or 6th came along.

See, Edutcher, my feeling is that everyone can make a mistake. Even pitchmen for products. But I agree with you that it was highly irresponsible given his obligations, either way.

vbspurs said...

Oh dear, the "whistleblower" in this case was an enemy of Rachel Uchitel, Head Procuress for Tiger. She blabbed to the tabloids, apparently.

HT said...

Wait. Chelsea Clinton? Chelsea Clinton is a boozer?

vbspurs said...

Nike is sticking by their man:

"Tiger has been part of Nike for more than a decade. He is the best golfer in the world and one of the greatest athletes of his era. We look forward to his return to golf. He and his family have Nike's full support."

Well, I've gossiped enough about this. Night HT, guys!

Cheers,
Victoria

HT said...

yeah, I think we've sucked the juice out of this one.

EnigmatiCore said...

Well.

It is natural to be cynical about someone who has proven to not be as they allowed themselves to be portrayed.

But everything in Tiger's history suggests he wanted to be known as the best golfer ever, and to break all of the Golden Bear's records.

So either, he is so unbelievably greedy that, despite the fact that no amount he could earn now would add any incremental pleasures to his life, he wants to rescue his earning potential as an endorser, or

He really loves his wife, even if he betrayed her as if he cared not a whit.

Time, I guess, will tell.

vbspurs said...

Chelsea Clinton is a boozer?

She was constantly drunk on the streets outside of clubs and bars in London, during her time there. Like Clinton's European or Canadian infidelities, it's rarely mentioned by US media.

EnigmatiCore said...

Victoria,

While I see a damn good reason to be cynical about Tiger-- why the cynicism about Elin?

Just because she married a rich guy?

Her actions so far, including wanting to beat his skull in with a four iron, are what I would expect from a woman betrayed by a cheating spouse and not by a woman who is nothing but a gold-digger.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Tiger emotionally appears from the outside to be about 12 years old

I think you are on to something here. He was strictly controlled by his father from a very young age and had all of his childhood channeled into golf GOLF GOLF!!

The poor guy didn't have a normal childhood or adolescence. Once the iron fist/control of his father was removed, all discipline and personal control was removed and this is the consequence.

His childhood could compare to that of famous child stars like Judy Garland, Micky Rooney and Danny Bonaduce. Child stars are exploited and rarely turn out well.
Tiger is an artificial construct made by his father and propped up by the fawning media. I feel very sorry for him.

In addition, he is caught in the stupid pigeon hole "black" stereotype, when he is no such thing. Tiger was not raised as a BLACK man. He is a multi cultural blending of some black, mostly Asian and a whole WHOLE lot of white golf course upper echelon Bay Area type yuppie culture.

Just because he has a skin tone a bit darker, everyone wants to shove him into a black stereotype. This is very unfair as well as being RACIST.

I feel sorry for him. He was poorly served by his Father, manipulated by many and really needs to take a break from public life. Some therapy would be in order.

HT said...

"I'm not gonna say what I did was wrong."

And there's our problem.

vbspurs said...

I had to come back to return the favour of the heads up.

PALIN ON THE TONIGHT SHOW. Tonight, Friday. It's supposed to be a surprise...

Thank God it's Conan. There would be intense bloodflow if she went on Letterman.

Cheers,
Victoria

HT said...

Pass

vbspurs said...

Hehe.

Unknown said...

vbspurs said...

Wanna bet there aren't at least a couple of layoffs because of the discontinuation of Tiger Gatorade (or whatever it is)?

That is true. But I really don't think that Gatorade would've dropped the Tiger ads with ONE infidelity. That happened after the 5th or 6th came along.

See, Edutcher, my feeling is that everyone can make a mistake. Even pitchmen for products. But I agree with you that it was highly irresponsible given his obligations, either way.


Maybe. I see your point, but his image is, I think, a big part of why this goes beyond just the family and that the endorsements were so predicated on his being Mr. Clean.

If it was an issue of El Tigre and his missus had grown apart or she had turned into a shrew, etc., and he had found true love, then, yes, that's something else. Also, I think a one night stand is a mistake; a series of assignations, even with one woman, simply for the sake of cheating is another.

hdhouse said...

His image is how he was packaged and what we chose to see. Like any product, it did what it was told and in likelihood had very little to say about it past the script given him.

That doesn't get him off the moral hook, which he seemingly gladly took, and now he is reeled in without the auspices of his team which gives him moronic or no advice that will help him through this.

A friend, who is a shrink, opines that his behavior was simply someone wanting to be caught at it which might explain his pick of some of the planet's biggest bimbos.

Never to excuse him, but he has been wound up like an eight day clock for years with no sense of normalcy and perhaps he simply acted out in some perverse cry for help from the entrapment that was his life.

He gets no excuses from the public and needs an extended stay in some sort of hell and that's just tough. His wife needs a ton of sympathy and support and the kids just need a break here. The bimbos need never profit a nickle for "coming forth" and if TW is on the boat on the river styx we can only hope that these sluts are rowing.

David said...

vbspurs said...

"Chelsea Clinton is a boozer?

"She was constantly drunk on the streets outside of clubs and bars in London, during her time there. Like Clinton's European or Canadian infidelities, it's rarely mentioned by US media."

Cheap shot. The story references an incident when she was 22 and still a student.

From Inwood said...

TIGER, Tiger, outta sight.
No more blondes late at night!
What mere mortal hand or eye
Has framed thy fearful dignity.

Ah, what shoulders and what art.
Have you trumped them with your heart?
And when those blondes began to bleat,
Didst thou smell that dread defeat?

In what distant course or green
Will we see you living clean?
In what venues dare aspire?
Will we hear you say, “retire”?

TIGER, Tiger, outta sight.
No more blondes late at night!
What mere mortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful dignity?

David said...

By the way folks, most of us manage our images. We present our best traits, minimize or hide our worst. And we do it for money, in some way or another, if we have jobs.

I quit my job mid career after a divorce, the death of my second wife and other assorted debacles. A lot of people thought I was nuts. I know doing so improved my life. Maybe it improved me. But for sure kept me from getting worse.

Tiger has fucked up monumentally. He needs to do something quite out of the ordinary to keep from spiraling down further. I wish him well.

David said...

Nice job Inwood.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

You won't see Tiger on a golf course until Elin says so, period.

Which goes to prove, the sport pages weren't worth the screens they were written on.

And when will those jock-sniffing no-achievers see their hero again; a month, six months? I heard one say "weeks." Well, at least a year, I say, and probably longer. If the odds come down right in Las Vegas, I'll wager two years, the minimum required to salvage a marriage - and in the process gain back a semblance of self/public-respect.

The good news is that Elin now appears to the genuine article. She's calling the shots, as it should be - certainly for her kid's sake.

Meanwhile, the golfing world will have to latch onto a substitute, a fill-in, someone to pack the galleries. After all, without Tiger Woods the rest of 'em look like stockbrokers stumbling through a local tournament; deadheads, dead-heading.

Nike also needs a new logo, something befitting Elin Woods.

MamaM said...

"Focus" is an interesting word choice. Not only does using it affirm the strength he is renown for in the golfing world, it also sets up a link to his Tiger Focus sport drink, with a different spin.

reader_iam said...

Man, a particular fact just really struck me: Woods is just 34. I mean, if you'd asked me specifically, I would have paused, thought back, and probably come close (despite my previously disclosed lack of interest in golf and, by extension, golf players, including Woods). But the more relevant thing is that I guess I must have thought of him as just always being around, which, in turn, guess means I must have thought of him as older, or something.

Wow. As way young as he was to achieve so much, get so high, he--in certain ways--flamed out and fell so far, so young (and yet with so much talent yet--or so I assume, despite just having learned he'd been out for a long while in 2008 due to knee surgery, or some such).

34. Dang.

Brings out a the sad in me.

From Inwood said...

David

Thanks.

Inwood

reader_iam said...

OK, not 34, but rather 33--34 at the end of the month.

Ralph L said...

I thought he was still in his 20's. Time flies, and cruelly, faster when you have less of it.

reader_iam said...

Perspective is an interesting thing, and often more layered than one'd prefer.

:.. (

Anonymous said...

New Pussy Syndrome is the bane of all men, everywhere.

I Tiger Woods him the best. There's no reason, though, for a man with all that money and such a severe case of NPS to get into a monogamous marriage at such a young age.

Kensington said...

I doubt anyone here really gives a damn about Chelsea Clinton's boozing episodes. It's just a sparkling illustration of the double-standard imposed on George W. Bush's daughters, who never so much as took an extra swig of cough medicine without it being a headline story.

Fred4Pres said...

That is a wise prayer. It may be too late on this marriage, but it is worth it to try to salvage it. Praying for money and power rarely works. Praying to be a better husband or father, however, often does work.

Devine intervention or just self hypnosis? The truth is if you will it and visualize it, it will generally happen.

Unknown said...

Tiger didn't do anything wrong. He had sex. So what. There is nothing illegal about that. There is nothing immoral about that.

If his wife doesn't like that, she should get a divorce.

traditionalguy said...

DTL...You are correct that Tiger did nothing illegal. But he did do something wrong. He is Soul searching because in his soul he is suffering from the damage he has done to himself by a lifestyle of casual sex with whores.Damaging his own soul is doing a wrong. He counts too. His marriage status or non-marriage status doesn't change that fact

Anonymous said...

I can see it now: In Search of the Perfect 18 Holes by Tiger Woods.

Anonymous said...

Tiger Woods travails prove how smart Derek Jeter is. He is single, playing the field, and envied. There's no controversy. So to all young ones out there who aim to be famous follow Jeter's lead and enjoy yourself. Don't follow Tiger's lead. Look where it gets you.

Henry said...

Damn. The only thing interesting about Tiger was how great a golfer he was. I was hoping for a statement such as "since I've screwed up every other aspect of my life, I'm going to focus even more on golf."

I envision him next on a mountain in Nepal, reading the Upanishads.

Henry said...

Next year's best seller:

The 18 Pillars of Wisdom by T. E. Woods.

Henry said...

And yes, that is an alternative scenario -- Tiger in the desert.

vbspurs said...

He is single, playing the field, and envied.

There are also rumours that he's gay.

This highlights the still ridiculous problem famous young athletes have of not being taken seriously or having their sexuality questioned if they're not married (more of a problem for endorsements, which is based on image -- especially towards the young).

Michael Haz said...

It isn't going to work. Twenty-four hour, seven day isolation in the house with Elin will prove intolerable for them both. There will be an divorce announcement within six months.

What would have worked would be an announcement that he is resuming selected golf tour play beginning in January or February.

Take Elin and the kids along. Other golfers bring their wives and young children on tour with them, Tiger can as well.

Hire a couple of baby wranglers and a security guard. Reserve a big suite in hotel where ever he plays.

But get out there and play golf. Get back to a normal routine, without the trollops. Learn what it's like to live a normal life while traveling and being a big star. Rebuild their lives that way.

Otherwise, Tiger will soon realize that he had golf before he married Elin, and he will have golf after Elin divorces him.

Adele Mundy said...

amba said...
Yeah, like Eliot Spitzer is such a nigga.

vbspurs said...
Let it be known to the bad faith bloggers of this world that love to uncover dirt about Althouse the blog that we have a leftist MOBY on this blog who used a racist epithet. Don't tar and feather the rest of us, due to his trolldom.

That is not fair. Amba is not a moby. Shame on you.

X said...

I think Doug Christie is the basketball player who's wife goes everywhere with him. She's looking less paranoid in light of this.

Adele Mundy said...

You should look on the bright side. Elin will be starring next season on "The Real Housewives of Augusta."

Michael Haz said...

"After much soul-searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf."

BREAKING!!: Four women, all represented by Gloria Allred, are alleging that Tiger Woods searched their souls in the VIP room of a club in Las Vegas.

Anonymous said...

I don't think Mrs. Woods will be on TV. Elin will be publishing her memoirs called My Inner Viking. The subtitle is How Tiger Inspired Her Appearance.